SOUTHEAST EUROPE
To Greece’s north, Cold War-era divisions and their subsequent ethnic
conflicts have left a heterogeneous patchwork of countries in the Balkan
peninsula, with major structural differences in the neighbouring national
economies.
Recent history has also left enduring physical barriers, including segmented
road and highway networks. Recent developments, however, have
highlighted the enormous benefits that could accrue to the region by
overcoming these barriers through closer cooperation and the creation of
integrated energy and logistics networks.
Greece gave new impetus to its role in Southeast Europe by championing the
quadrilateral summit of Balkan states – an informal initiative bringing its
government together with the governments of Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia
– to promote their shared priorities of enhanced connectivity and European
integration in the region. As the quartet’s oldest EU and NATO member,
Greece has brought to the table know-how and vision, as well as influence
within international organisations, that benefit the region as a whole.
Having pioneered the creation of the European perspective on Balkan countries since 2003, when it pushed forward the Thessaloniki Agenda,
Greece has also helped, through its alliances, to keep EU enlargement in the Balkans on the EU agenda despite the recent setbacks in accession talks.
Meanwhile it has benefitted from greater coordination in representing shared
regional interests in major transnational projects, such as China’s Belt and
Road Initiative and the EastMed Pipeline.
The quartet has also played a key role in pushing ahead the China and Central
and Eastern European Countries summits (China-CEEC summits), seeking to
forge closer ties between China and 17 central and eastern European
countries. The 2018 summit in Varna, Bulgaria hosted Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu.
Commercial interests aside, there is a widely shared awareness that only
strong institutions can guarantee sustainable growth in the region.
The ratification of the Prespa Agreement serves as a bright though
exceptional example of peace-making in a region marred by resurgent
nationalism and ethnic tensions. Greece has increased its diplomatic weight,
as a result of this achievement, which some see as a template for solving
other disputes in the region through multilateral negotiations. In this respect,
Greece must now support the implementation of the agreement against
continuing challenges, all the while nudging North Macedonia towards
shared values and respect for international law.